The Ghiscari are a people and culture established on the region of Ghiscar and cities like New Ghis,Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. The modern Ghiscari are, in fact, a mongrel race descended from the original Ghiscari and a dozen races driven together by the Ghiscari Empire and its subsequent fall and subjugation by the Valyrian Freehold.

Ghiscari no longer speak the language of their forebears but a dialect of High Valyrian which also includes words of the dead Ghiscari tongue.

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels Ghiscari are a people clinging to the glorious past of the Ghiscari Empire. Their culture, language and religion, however, has been largerly replaced by that of their Valyrian conquerors.

Modern Ghiscari have dense, dark amber skin and wiry hair with red highlights. Ghiscari men the Slaver Cities are known to wear their hairs teased, oiled, and twisted into fantastic shapes such as wing or horns. They also wear cloaks of yellow with copper disks sewn on. Their tunics are embroidered linen. Below the waist they wear pleated linen skirts and sandals. The richest classes, who are primarily made up of slavers, wear the Tokar, a impractial outfit that forces the wearer to hold it with a hand - and a symbol of status, as the wearer indicates they do not perform any kind of labor. Ghiscari are also fond of rich foods; such as dogs, octopus stew and duck eggs.

Just as their Valyrian rivals are often associated with dragons, Ghiscari associate themselves with the symbol of the defunct Ghiscari Empire: the harpy.